Paint by number
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- For the graphical logic puzzle, see Nonograms. For the album, see Paint by Number (album).
Paint by number (or painting by numbers) are kits with a board on which light blue lines indicate areas to paint, with each area having a number and a corresponding numbered paint to use. The kits were invented in 1950 by Dan Robbins[1] who was employed by the Palmer Paint Company. The owner, Max S. Kline, asked Robbins for an idea for how to sell more paint. Robbins remembered being taught in high school that Leonardo da Vinci gave his assistants canvasses with numbered sections to paint. From this Robbins developed the kits.
In 1951 Palmer Paint introduced the Craft Master brand of paint-by-number kits. In three years they sold over 12 million kits. This popularity spawned many other companies produce their own versions of paint by number kits. The Craft Master paint-kit box tops proclaimed, "Every man a Rembrandt!" [2]
In 1992, Michael O'Donoghue and Trey Speegle organized and mounted a show of O'Donoghue's paint by number collection In New York City at the Bridgewater/ Lustberg Gallery. After O'Donoghue's passing in 1994 the Smithsonian Institute, The National Museum of American History exhibited many key pieces from O'Donoghue's collection, now owned by Speegle, along with other collectors works in 2001. Since then, the vintage kits and paintings have experienced a resurgence through yard sales and eBay auctions.
In children's activity books, simpler activities are often presented to children and are called color by numbers.
2003's Mona Lisa Smile references Painting by numbers.
[edit] References
- ^ Detroit Free Press, Thursday, May 15, 2008, page B1, ISSN 1055-2758
- ^ http://americanhistory.si.edu/paint/rembrandt.html National Museum of American History
